Apparatus to release garbage-filled receptacles down a shaft

ABSTRACT

An apparatus to release garbage-filled receptacles down a garbage shaft provided with a door which includes an infeed opening within which are positioned screw devices to cooperate with a receptacle when the latter is placed in the opening. When the receptacle is correctly positioned for release down the shaft, the sensor devices are actuated and as a result the releasing procedure is free to occur.

United States Patent 1151 3,651,912 Rohner 1 Mar. 28, 1972 [54] APPARATUS TO RELEASE GARBAGE- [56] References Cited FILLED RECEPTACLES DOWN A UNITED STATES PATENTS SHAFT 3,412,837 11/1968 Myers ..194/4 [72] Vaduz 1,694,347 12/1928 Symonds ..193/34 [73] Assignee: Mideco Mediterranean Industrial Development Establishment, Vaduz, Liechtenstein FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: Mill- 23, 1970 1,263,600 5/1961 France ..l93/33 [21] Appl' 22055 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [30] Foreign Application Priority Date Mar. 21, 1969 Switzerland ..4352/69 [571 ABSTRACT An apparatus to release garbage-filled receptacles down a gar- ..194/4 R, 193/34 base Shaft provided with a door which includes an infeed [58] Fieid 3185,1511. ..214/l6 R, 16 B, 17 c, 17 CA, Pening within which devices cooperate with a receptacle when the latter is placed in the opening. When the receptacle is correctly positioned for release down the shaft, the sensor devices are actuated and as a result the releasing procedure is free to occur.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures P'A'E'N'TEBMAR 2 81972 6 51 ,912

' sum 3 or 3 APPARATUS TO RELEASE GARBAGE-FILLED RECEPTACLES DOWN A SHAFT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to apparatus for releasing garbagefilled receptacles down a garbage shaft provided with a door. within In known releasing apparatus, as a rule, a lateral opening leading into the shaft into which garbage is released is provided with a door pivotable about a horizontal axis. The door is formed to receive garbage emptied from receptacles employed to collect it, whereupon, upon the door being closed the garbage is released down the shaft. Such an arrangement has a number of objectionable disadvantages. With the lapse of time, it will be noticed that there is substantial fouling of the releasing apparatus around the opening of the shaft, especially due to the build-up of sticky remnants of food, fat and oil on the walls, and this rapidly leads to an unpleasant odor. To this disadvantage must be added an annoying noise when the garbage is released and when use is made of the garbage-dumping facility, this likewise leading to complaints from occupants of the building. Finally, in the case of already known installations, there are frequent occurrences of blockages in the shaft resulting from attempts to dispose of unduly bulky or lumpy garbage.

The disadvantages referred to above can in themselves be eliminated by having the garbage collected in receptacles or sacks and then released while in them. This presupposes, however, that in fact the entire amount of garbage which accumulates will be collected in such receptacles as otherwise, if some of the garbage is poured in loose form into the garbage shaft, it is not possible to avoid the foregoing disadvantages over any appreciable period of time.

At the basis of the invention, therefore, is the problem of obviating the disadvantages referred to above and, in particular, of avoiding the build-up of odor in the garage shaft and generally providing better hygienic conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an apparatus for releasing garbage-filled receptacles down a garbage shaft provided with a door, in accordance with the invention, this problem is solved by arranging in an infeed opening to the garbage shaft sensor devices which cooperate with a receptacle, during the actuation of which devices the receptacle moves from a captive position into a position in which the releasing procedure is free to occur.

Apparatus according to the invention achieves the advantage that only the garbage exclusively stowed in given types of receptacle can be released down the shaft. In fact, the sensor devices are so formed that they can only be operated by certain receptacles envisaged to take the garbage, while with other receptacles or with garbage fed loosely into the apparatus actuation of the devices and consequently release of the garbage is not possible.

With the apparatus according to the invention, fouling, the buildup of odor and the emergence ofdust at the region where garbage is inserted and inside the shaft down which the garbage is dropped is correspondingly obviated. A further advantage is that smaller dimensions for the shaft than hitherto applying are attainable since, corresponding to the dimensions of the garbage receptacles concerned, it is sufficient to have a cross section in the shaft of approximately 25 X 25 cm., for instance, in contrast with the hitherto customary measurement of 40 X 40 cm. to 50 X 50 cm. Both circular and also rectangular garbage receptacles may be used. As a final point, no risk arises of the garbage shaft becoming blocked. Furthermore, annoyance caused by noise is to a great extent avoided.

In a practical embodiment of the invention, sensor devices are provided which co-operate with the side-wall and/or a lid of the receptacle. By this means it can be guaranteed that the receptacle is closed according to rule with a certain type of lid, so that the receptacle can only be filled to the extent that the lid can still be fitted on top. By this means the dropping of garbage out of the receptacle is prevented when the receptacles emerge from the lower end of the garbage shaft. Also any build-up of odor in the garbage-collection space or the garbage-collecting installation at the lower end of the garbage shaft is counteracted.

According to a further feature of the invention, in the infeed opening there are abutment faces provided for straightening the receptacle vis-a-vis the sensor devices. By this means the receptacle is prevented from being inserted in such a way that the sensor devices cannot be triggered to release the receptacle.

In an advantageous further development of the invention, a sliding carriage is arranged to be displaceable in the horizontal plane from the infeed opening to a position above the garbage shaft, the carriage having a bottom opening for the receptacle which rests on smooth horizontal rails which are fixed and do not move with the sliding carriage. By this means the receptacle may be inserted in a particularly easy manner into the infeed opening, whereupon the carriage is released as a result of the sensor arrangements being actuated and it being moved forward over the garbage shaft; by this action the receptacle (which extends downward through the bottom opening in the carriage) is borne forward on the smooth rails, arrives in a position above the garbage shaft and falls freely downward into the shaft. It is useful to have the side of the carriage adjacent the shaft fitted with a rear wall so that it is not possible to toss the receptacle or loose garbage straight into the shaft without approved actuation of the mechanism having been effected.

According to a further feature of the invention, the carriage is connected to the door by way of a thrust-rod and, upon the door being closed, the carriage arrives along with its opening above the garbage shaft. This feature provides a suitable drive for the carriage. Further, it makes sure that the door will not remain open after the apparatus has been used.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if, on the side of the carriage adjacent the door, there is arranged a flap which is pivotable about a horizontal axis. By this means manipulation is made easier, since the receptacle can be placed on the flap for the feed-in procedure. More particularly, however, the flap prevents any unauthorized actuation of the sensor devices since the door, which swings vertically and which actuates the carriage by way of the thrust-rod, can only be swung across and closed when the flap is in the closed position, swung up high, in which it closes the infeed opening.

In an advantageous further development of the invention, the sensor devices consist of latches arranged to pivot and/or to undergo displacement and which, upon the insertion of the receptacle into the bottom opening in the carriage, disengage from a fixed detent device relative to which the carriage slides. By this means the advantage of a simple design is obtained. When the receptacle as provided is placed in position, the carriage is released and can now, once the flap has been brought upward through the door being closed, be pushed forward into position directly above the shaft for dropping down the latter. In this procedure the detents may furthermore be arranged in lateral guide-rails arranged in a horizontal plane along which the latches after the releasing action at the time of the displacement of the carriage slide and in the area of the opening for the fall down the garbage shaft undergo retraction, so that the receptacle is able to fall freely down the shaft. Upon the door being opened the carriage returns once more to the infeed opening, and is once more locked through the latches catching in the detent means provided.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the garbage shaft is closed off by a pivotally arranged flap on which the receptacle is placed, upon the sensor devices being actuated by the receptacle the flap attaining a position appropriate for the dropping of the receptacle down the shaft. In this embodiment the sensor devices will preferably be arranged on the inner side of the door so that, after the receptacle has been put down on the pivotable bottom flap and when the door is closed, the sensor devices, likewise formed as pivoting latches, upon beingpressed against the side of the receptacle disengage a latch from detent means in the bottom flap, whereupon the latter tilts under the weight of the receptacle so that the receptacle is dropped into the garbage shaft. The flap may subsequently be swung back by a tension spring into its horizontal position, in which the latch once more engages in the detent means and locks the bottom flap.

In a preferred form of the invention, the latches of the sensor devices engage the outer periphery of a lid closing the receptacle. If in this procedure the lid has not been positioned in the regulation manner, then the latches cannot be actuated. In this embodiment of the receptacle and of the lid respectively, two latches arranged to the side of the receptacle are envisaged. On the other hand, the latches may, however, engage on both sides of the outer margin of the receptacle and on the upper side of a lid which closes the receptacle. This arrangement is of particular advantage with angular receptacles having a flap-type lid, in which the flap-type lid comes to rest within the upper edge of the receptacle.

The invention is explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, two embodiments of the invention. In the drawings: of the FIG. 1 is a view from the side of a section taken through the releasing apparatus and the garbage shaft of one of the embodiments,

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line III-III in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a view generally corresponding to that of FIG. 1 but of the other embodiment, and

FIG. 5 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, the vertically disposed garbage shaft is designated 2, the infeed opening is designated 4, and an external door which closes off the infeed opening and also the garbage shaft is designated 6. The shaft 2 may be of circular or rectangular cross section. A sliding carriage 8 is provided on either side with rollers 10 which are guided in two laterally arranged horizontal U-shaped rails 12 fastened to the side-walls of the infeed opening 4. In the bottom 14 of the carriage 8 there is arranged an opening 16 in which can be placed a preferably cylindrical receptacle 18, as illustrated in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, filled with garbage, with the bottom 20 of the receptacle resting on smooth rails 22 firmly fixed in the infeed opening 4. The smooth rails 22 as shown in FIG. 2 extend to the very edge of the shaft 2. In the case of a slightly conical receptacle 18 the opening 16 is at least as large as the largest diameter of the receptacle at the upper level.

On the rearward side the carriage 8 is closed off vis-a-vis the shaft 2 by a rear wall 24, so that the garbage shaft is inaccessible through the infeed opening 4 when the door 6 is open. On the front side of the carriage 8 a flap 28 pivoting about a horizontal axis 26 is arranged, and this flap can be swung forward towards the operator into the position indicated in broken lines to enable the receptacle 18 to be set down in the carriage. In this position the flap 28 is supported by a stop 30 arranged on the door.

The receptacle 18 is closed by a lid 32 the edge of which is preferably flush with the side wall of the receptacle 18, or projects beyond the side wall of the receptacle. If the receptacle 18 has been positioned in the carriage in the correct manner, so that its bottom 20 comes to rest on the smooth rails 22, then the lid 32 will be located on a level with two sensor devices 34 arranged to either side in the infeed opening 4, which devices comprise as shown in FIG. 3 a latch 38 pivotally supported at 36 and having a projection 40. When the receptacle 18 is placed in position it displaces the projection 40 of the latch 38 of each sensor device, moving the latch against the force of a spring 42 so that the other arm of the latch disengages from a fixed detent 44 which is provided in a guide rail 46 laterally arranged in the infeed opening 4.

If the receptacle 18 is closed by a lid 32 the outer peripheral edge of which is a continuation of the outer side wall of the receptacle, then the two sensor devices 34 are adequate, since their latches 38 can only undergo disengagement when the lid has been placed on top. If, however, the lid is so formed that its edge overlaps the outer wall of the receptacle or is situated inside the edge of the receptacle, then the latches 38 might well disengage from the detent 44 when the lid is not in position on top. In order to prevent this, in FIGS. 1 and 3 there are illustrated alternative forms of a sensor device, 48 and 50 respectively, which co-operate from above with the lid 32. According to FIG. 3, the sensor device 50 consists of a latch 54 displaceably carried in support means 52 fixed to one side of the infeed opening 4. One end of the latch, provided with an added cheek-piece 56, is lifted upwardly when the receptacle is placed in position, whereupon the other end of the latch 54 disengages from a detent 58 which is firmly connected to the carriage.

In FIG. 1 is shown an alternative form of sensor device 48 which can be utilized instead of the device 50 shown in FIG. 3 and which comprises a flap 60 which is pivoted at 62 in the infeed opening 4. Upon the receptacle being placed in position, the flap 60 is swung upwardly into the position shown, and during this procedure lifts a latch 64 which consequently disengages from a detent 66 fixed on the carriage.

The carriage 8 is coupled to the door 6 by way of a thrustrod 68. When the door is opened the carriage 8, as a consequence of its being connected to the door through the rod 68, assumes the position shown in FIG. 1, the latches 38 of the lateral sensor devices 34 and, where this applies, the latches 54 and 64 of the upper sensor devices 50 and 48 respectively catch in the detents 44 and 58 or 66 respectively, and lock the carriage. When the receptacle is placed in the carriage 8 the latches disengage from the detents, whereupon the flap 28 is closed, and through the shutting of the door 6 the carriage 8 is pushed along the rails 12, the receptacle 18 which slides along the rails 22 being carried along also. The guide rails 46 have, in the area of the shaft 2, enlarged sliding surfaces 68 through the intermediary of which the latches 38 are pivoted in such a way that the projections 40 swing free of the receptacle lid 32. With the door 6 closed the carriage is located above the garbage shaft 2, the opening 16 being flush with the shaft so that the receptacle falls freely.

The height of the infeed opening 4 is preferably of such a size that the receptacle 18 can just be pushed inwards and placed inside the opening 16. If the receptacle is, as shown, cylindrical or is slightly conical or rectangular, then the rear wall 24 or the bottom opening functions as an abutment surface for the'receptacle, which by this means assumes the anticipated position as regards the sensor devices 34.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 the infeed opening 74, located between the shaft 70 and the door 72, is closed off by a bottom flap 76 which is pivotally mounted at 77. The garbage-filled receptacle (not shown here) is placed on the bottom flap 76, whereupon the door 72 is closed and levers 78, pivotally mounted on the door pressed by means of abutment surfaces 80 against the side wall of the receptacle. By this means latches 84 on either side, operating against the force of respective springs 86, undergo displacement and disengage from a detent 88 in the bottom plate 76, whereupon the latter pivots downwardly under the weight of the receptacle, and the receptacle falls into the garbage shaft. By means of a spring 90 the flap 76 is then returned to the horizontal position, the latches 84 catching in the detents 88 so that the apparatus is ready to receive a fresh receptacle to be dropped down the shaft.

Instead of the levers 78 arranged on the door 72, it is also possible to arrange, on the rear side of the infeed opening 74, a latch 92 which, when the receptacle is placed in position, is displaced horizontally by engagement of the side wall of the receptacle with projections 94 of the latch 92, by this means the latch being disengaged from a detent 96 in the bottom flap 76. The surface 98 at the rear of the infeed opening is matched in the present example to the shape of the receptacle, so that it again acts as an abutment surface for the receptacle and the latter assumes the prescribed position in which the sensor devices and, when appropriate, the lever 78 or the latch 92 can be actuated.

lclaim:

1. An apparatus for releasing garbage-filled receptacles down a garbage shaft comprising an infeed opening, a door closing said infeed opening and permitting inserting a single receptacle of predetermined size and shape into said infeed opening, a locking means located between said infeed opening and said shaft, said locking means having a first captive position to prevent manual movement of said receptacle into said shaft, and a second release position to allow the receptacle to enter said shaft, and feelers normally engaging said locking means, wherein said feelers are operated by a receptacle placed into said identified to move into a position of disengaging the locking means and wherein said feelers are maintained in the disengaged position by the receptacle until the receptacle enters said shaft. 1

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feelers are operated by the side walls and/or the cover of the receptacle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the infeed opening includes abutment means for adjusting said receptacle in relation to said feelers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a rod and wherein said locking means includes a sliding carriage having a rear wall, said carriage being connected with the door by said rod and being horizontally movable to a position above said shaft in closing the door, said carriage further having a bottom opening through which the receptacle enters the shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a flap which is pivotable about a horizontal axis is provided on the side of the carriage adjacent the door.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said locking means is a flap said flap being hinged about a horizontal axis and pivoting downwardly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said feelers comprise levers pivotally arranged at said door which feelers are actuated when said receptacle is contacted by the door. 

1. An apparatus for releasing garbage-filled receptacles down a garbage shaft comprising an infeed opening, a door closing said infeed opening and permitting inserting a single receptacle of predetermined size and shape into said infeed opening, a locking means located between said infeed opening and said shaft, said locking means having a first captive position to prevent manual movement of said receptacle into said shaft, and a second release position to allow the receptacle to enter said shaft, and feelers normally engaging said locking means, wherein said feelers are operated by a receptacle placed into said infeed opening to move into a position of disengaging the locking means and wherein said feelers are maintained in the disengaged position by the receptacle until the receptacle enters said shaft.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feelers are operated by the side walls and/or the cover of the receptacle.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the infeed opening includes abutment means for adjusting said receptacle in relation to said feelers.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a rod and wherein said locking means includes a sliding carriage having a rear wall, said carriage being connected with the door by said rod and being horizontally movable to a position above said shaft in closing the door, said carriage further having a bottom opening through which the receptacle enters the shaft.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a flap which is pivotable about a horizontal axis is provided on the side of the carriage adjacent the door.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said locking means is a flap said flap being hinged about a horizontal axis and pivoting downwardly.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said feelers comprise levers pivotally arranged at said door which feelers are actuated when said receptacle is contActed by the door. 